Fred Dicker's previous bouts: the scorecard (updated with video)

How does last night’s Manhandling in Bolton Landing compare to previous political scuffles involving New York Post bureau chief Fred Dicker? Here’s a look at some of his most memorable and well-publicized bouts — a retrospective that, based on the fates of his previous opponents, does not promise a long chapter in state history for Carl Paladino:

Dicker v. Adler, October 1987

The opponent: Norman Adler, top aide to Assembly Speaker Mel Miller

The beef: Adler was attempting to block Dicker from entering the offices of the Assembly House Operations Committee, where the reporter had come in search of a taxpayer-funded sauna.

“After Adler turned his back and started walking away down a hallway, Dicker could be seen following him, asking questions about who was paying for the offices and then asking to see the sauna. Adler turned around and said to Dicker, “I am afraid of you – because I know you have a black belt.” Later, at the Capitol, Dicker said he had a green belt in karate, not a black belt.

“After telling Dicker to get out of the offices and insisting he talk with Miller’s press spokesman, Geoffrey Taylor, Adler could be seen pushing Dicker backward by shoving him with both hands on the reporter’s chest and saying repeatedly, “with Geoff Taylor.”

“Dicker then ended up on the floor, and with a slight smile on his face, he said, “What, are you crazy?” As Dicker started to rise, Adler appeared to either push or kick him down again, and said, “Do you want to protect your privates?” [Note: Sanders reported Adler’s line as, “‘You’d better protect your private parts, Fred.”]

“The reporter, who said he received a kick to his right thigh when he was down, went to a doctor in Albany after the incident, saying it aggravated his already bad back. If the pain continues, he said, he will get X-rays taken today.”

The winnah: While Adler might have won the initial physical contest, the victory ended up costing him: He apologized but ultimately had to resign. Adler went on to a long career as a political consultant with the firm of Bolton St. Johns.

Dicker v. Rinfret, November 1990

The opponent: Pierre Rinfret, GOP gubernatorial candidate

The beef: Dicker and WTEN reporter Bob Lawson confronted Rinfret outside the studios of WNYT. The candidate had canceled an appearance on WTEN after learning that Dicker would be one of his questioners. From the TU:

“I don’t want to talk to this man,” Rinfret said, referring to Dicker. “No matter what was said to you, Frederic, you lie about it.”

“You always tell the truth?” Dicker shot back, and challenged Rinfret to “name one instance” where he (Dicker) had lied.

Later, on Channel 13, Rinfret, who has attacked several reporters during the campaign, said he considered Dicker “the ultimate low in printed journalism.”

However, Rinfret did not cite any instance where Dicker “lied.”

The winnah: Rinfret, who days later was elected in triumph to serve two terms as — what? Oops, pardon, my mistake: In fact, Rinfret was pounded into the ground on Election Day by incumbent Mario Cuomo. Just this month, his name was invoked by Conservative chairman Michael Long as being synonymous with NY GOP loserdom (“How do you say Carl Paladino in French? It’s ‘Pierre Rinfret'”) a few weeks before Long embraced Paladino as the Conservatives’ new-minted nominee. Looks like we have to hand this one to Dicker.

Dicker v. Spitzer, October 2007

The opponent: Gov. Eliot Spitzer

The beef: In his first press conference following the release of Andrew Cuomo’s report in the travel records scandal, Dicker peppered Spitzer with questions about why several of his top aides failed to speak to the AG under oath. Spitzer, forced by circumstances to play the to-that-point uncharacteristic role of Man Seeking Contrition, does his best to treat Dicker as if he were a misbehaving child at a dinner party where it would be, well, unseemly to apply corporal punishment. Nevertheless, there are moments where you can sense the governor’s fond hope that death rays might suddenly shoot from his eyeballs and reduce Dicker to a heap of ash.

Check it out:

The winnah: This one was a bit of a gang beatdown. But Dicker takes it — and Spitzer was gone six months later.